William Hogarth, (born Nov. 10, 1697, London, Eng.—died Oct. 26, 1764, London), British painter and engraver. Apprenticed at 15 to a silversmith, he opened his own engraving and printing shop at 22. He took private drawing lessons while earning a living as an engraver of book illustrations. His first major work, the satirical engraving Masquerades and Operas, attacked contemporary taste and questioned the art establishment, thus winning him many enemies. In 1728 he embarked on a painting career with a work that reveals his interest in theatre and comic subject matter, A Scene from “The Beggar’s Opera”; he also painted “conversation pieces” (informal group portraits) for wealthy clients. His engravings of modern morality subjects, often in sequential sets, were aimed at a wide public, and their outstanding success established his financial independence. To safeguard his livelihood against pirated editions, he fought for legislation protecting artists’ copyright. Britain’s first copyright act was passed in 1735, the year he published his satirical eight-part series The Rake’s Progress. His other satirical series include A Harlot’s Progress (1730–31) and Marriage à la Mode (1743–45). The teaching academy he established led to the founding of the Royal Academy (1768).
William Hogarth Article
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English school Summary
English school, dominant school of painting in England throughout the second half of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th. Its establishment marked the rise of a national tradition that began with the emergence of native artists whose works were no longer provincial but rivaled
aesthetics Summary
Aesthetics, the philosophical study of beauty and taste. It is closely related to the philosophy of art, which is concerned with the nature of art and the concepts in terms of which individual works of art are interpreted and evaluated. To provide more than a general definition of the subject
painting Summary
Painting, the expression of ideas and emotions, with the creation of certain aesthetic qualities, in a two-dimensional visual language. The elements of this language—its shapes, lines, colors, tones, and textures—are used in various ways to produce sensations of volume, space, movement, and light
printmaking Summary
Printmaking, an art form consisting of the production of images, usually on paper but occasionally on fabric, parchment, plastic, or other support, by various techniques of multiplication, under the direct supervision of or by the hand of the artist. Such fine prints, as they are known